S2000 Under The Hood S2000 Technical and Mechanical discussions.

Electrical problems

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Old Feb 13, 2009 | 03:20 AM
  #1  
kaissi's Avatar
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From: Coto De Caza
Default Electrical problems

I am experiencing minor electrical problems.
1 - When I want to turn on the car, the electric power seem like as if there isn't enough, as if the battery is at the end of its life, though I checked the battery with a meter at a shop and he told me the battery is perfect as well as when the car is off
2 - When I'm idle the dashboard electric power seem to blink as if it has low power when you rev a little the lights gets clearer
3 - sometimes when it's idle it doesn't respond when I push on the throttle immediately. But that happens like every 15 minutes.
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Old Feb 13, 2009 | 08:40 AM
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Sounds like a weak battery. Common problem and symptoms you describe. How old is it? Do you have another car battery that you could temporarily swap?

1) Checking the battery voltage at idle should be about 14.3 volts versus about 12 volts with engine off. But in neither of these cases is the battery highly loaded. If you watch the battery volts with a meter while you are cranking the starter, it should not drop below about 10.5 or 11 volts. If it drops real low when cranking, the battery is weak.

2) If the battery is proven fine (free test at Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, whatever) then there may be a bad connection in the wiring or main fuse holder. But that is MUCH less likely than a bad battery.
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Old Feb 13, 2009 | 07:54 PM
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dashboard flashing is 90% of the time an alternator issue. Once the car is running the battery has nothing to do with the electircal side.
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Old Feb 14, 2009 | 05:21 AM
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From: Coto De Caza
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Will the alternator result in lack of throttle response sometimes as well ? When it does so in an alternating fashion, like on off on off on off, I don't know how to describe it well, but as if like there is a dirt in the gazoline and then you push it hard it goes away...
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Old Feb 14, 2009 | 06:49 PM
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If the battery isn't supplying the proper amount of amperage to your components i.e. map sensor tps or even voltage to the coil packs then yes by proxy the alternator can be contributing to these issues.
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Old Feb 14, 2009 | 08:06 PM
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whens the car is on disconnect the battery if altenator is bad car will turn off, if good car will stay on
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Old Feb 14, 2009 | 11:41 PM
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You can also take it to checker, autozone or pep boys where they can diagnose the alternator for you. They take a clamp on ammeter with a load and put it on your battery cable (if i remember correctly) if your car shuts off then it's a bad alternator.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by ChefJ,Feb 13 2009, 10:54 PM
Once the car is running the battery has nothing to do with the electircal side.
Not entirely true. The alternator is indeed capable of providing all the electrical power required to keep the car running, AND charge the battery at the same time. But, a bad cell in the battery can interfere with the alternator's ability to do so.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 02:18 PM
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I wasn't trying to get into a technical discussion about it. 99.9% of the time once the car is running the battery has nothing to do with the electrical side.

All fixed up.
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